Do You Want to Dance
by ForeverTerp
Summary: Our two favorite FBI agents share an innocent dance...or is it that innocent? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Do You Want to Dance?  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Timeline: Season 5  
  
Disclaimer: Not mine. Never will be mine. Must move on.  
  
*Chapter 1*  
  
Mulder looked down at the food he had ordered. He wasn't really that hungry, therefore he was just pushing it around his plate. He shouldn't have been this uncomfortable; he should have been excited. Or, at least, interested. I mean, he hadn't been on a date in...four years!!! My God, had it been that long. Sure, he had the occasional fling with a couple of women, but he hadn't been on a real date in four years. But this really wasn't a date. This was a formal dinner and dance for all Washington, DC based FBI agents, like himself. A reprieve from the stress that all of the agents felt everyday. It was an annual event. He hadn't attended the last ones, but this year he was more or less ordered to attend by his superior, Assistant Director Skinner. "Highly recommended to attend this function" were the exact words. Which meant he better go or else. He didn't care to think what the "or else" was, so he came. Oh, well. At least he could try and associate with the people higher up the ladder while he was here. Maybe even earn a little respect for his division. Yeah right. Like that would ever happen. Now if this was a different dimension...  
  
He smiled at that thought. That idea was more believable than one might think. In fact, it went right along with his line of work. Maybe this really was a different dimension. It would make sense. OK, in his mind it would make sense. Here he was wearing a tux and on a "date." Those definitely were two things that he never did. Maybe in this dimension, Samantha was still with him.  
  
His smile faded.  
  
This change in emotions did not go unnoticed by the woman that was with him.  
  
"Mulder, one moment you are grinning like a goon, and the next you are completely crestfallen. What's going on in that mind of yours?"  
  
Mulder snapped back into reality, and his attention focused on the woman. She was the other reason this wasn't a real date. She wasn't his date. Sure, she was the one he came with, but date was a little strong of a word for her. She was more like his partner on a quest to get through the evening. Of course, she was also his partner on the job, too which made this analogy easier to accept.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hmmm, what Scully?"  
  
"Is there anything wrong? You seem out of it tonight. Even more than usual."  
  
"No, I'm fine."  
  
"You haven't eaten a thing. Are you sure you aren't sick?"  
  
"I'm fine, Dr. Scully," Mulder said with a smile.  
  
He was always touched when Scully was concerned about his well-being. It always made him feel loved, or at least cared about. Not many people really truly cared about him. She was one of the few.  
  
"Guess I'm not that hungry," he said. Yeah, you're too nervous to be hungry, he thought. Why was he so nervous? He was only having dinner with his best friend. It's not like this is a date or anything. Unless he wanted this to be a date? Whoa, where did that thought come from? He better file it away.  
  
"Well, you have to eat something, Mulder. You haven't eaten a thing all day and I don't feel like dragging you back to your apartment when you pass out," Scully said.  
  
"Yes, mother," Mulder grumbled as he stuck a piece of steak in his mouth. "Mmmmmm, yummy."  
  
"That's better. Don't forget your vegetables."  
  
"Don't push it."  
  
Scully smiled. She was just happy that she got him to eat a little something. She knew something was wrong with him when he came to pick her up. She knew tuxes and social events weren't his favorite things, but they didn't seem to be the center of his problem. He hadn't said much to her since they arrived much less looked at her. It was almost like he was uncomfortable to be around her, but that couldn't be right. Mulder was never uncomfortable in any situation so why should this one be any different? Maybe it was her. Maybe he didn't want to be here with her. Maybe he had wanted to go with someone else, be with someone else.  
  
"Mulder, if you don't want to be here with me..."  
  
"What would give you that idea?"  
  
"Well, you've hardly talked to me since we got here and you continue to wander off into your own little world."  
  
"I'm sorry, Scully. It's just that I am still thinking about that last case. I feel that we forgot something, that's all."  
  
Scully nodded. She knew that wasn't the real reason but she also knew that he would tell her what was wrong in his own time. She just had to be patient. And when it came to Mulder, patience seemed to be her middle name. 


	2. Chapter 2

*Chapter 2*  
  
Oh, real smooth, Mulder thought. Yeah, she really bought that one. Thinking about the last case. Forgetting something. Geez, that excuse was absolutely pathetic. So now she thought that he was a liar trying to ditch her. A wonderful combination. Why didn't he just tell her that he was contemplating the idea that little gray men were controlling the government. Then she would just think that he was paranoid. That opinion he could handle.  
  
Scully turned around in her seat. Mulder seemed to be having an internal argument, and she didn't want to intrude. Maybe he'd finally tell her what was going on. Meanwhile, she took the time to take in her surroundings. It was a huge, well-lit room. Chandeliers on the ceiling cast light that was reflected by every piece of glass that if turned the right way, could bathe the room in prisms. Numerous tables dotted the perimeter of the room. There must have been 75 tables, and they all seemed to be occupied. The dance floor that encompassed the middle of the room also was quite large. Although no one was out on it now, Scully could see how it could comfortably accommodate everyone attending tonight. She turned a bit more and her eye caught Agent Tyler McGadden who was, as usual, surrounded by beautiful women. McGadden was, as of now, the most eligible bachelor in the bureau. He knew it and used this knowledge to his advantage to get anything he wanted from his female coworkers. Except her. He knew that she was in a different league and that league was headed by Mulder. Mr. and Mrs. "Spooky" Mulder. She knew all about the rumors that circulated about her relationship with Mulder. She was constantly asked what they really did in that dark office downstairs. She usually just ignored them and walked away. Scully often wondered that when Mulder was asked these same questions, if he fueled their imaginations with some incredible story. It wouldn't surprise her. It would be just like him.  
  
Mulder saw Scully staring off in a different direction and decided to find out what had grabbed his partner's attention. What he saw did not please him. McGadden: most eligible agent. He used to hold that title until Scully came into the picture. He wasn't upset about losing his position, though. He'd rather have Scully than ten women crawling all over him. He just didn't like the way she was looking at him. Jealousy? No, just general concern for his friend. McGadden wasn't the kind of guy a girl wanted to get involved with. He was all snake and no charm.  
  
"He's not your type, Scully," Mulder said.  
  
Startled at her partner's voice, Scully jumped and practically fell out of her seat. Mulder stifled a laugh. When she regained her composure, she said:  
  
"Who? What are you talking about?"  
  
"McGadden. He's all wrong for you."  
  
"How do you know I..." Scully stopped. She knew she couldn't lie to Mulder. He could always tell. So she decided to try a different approach to this subject. "OK, since you know me so well, tell me what my type is."  
  
"Alright. The guy has to be intelligent enough to hold an interesting conversation so that automatically puts McGadden out of the running."  
  
"Mulder, that's rude and untrue. McGadden is a very intell-"  
  
"No interruptions," he said putting up his hand. "He also has to have enough manners not to look at the other person's chestal area while he has this ever interesting conversation. That's two strikes against our friend McGadden."  
  
Scully had to smile at that comment. She knew all about McGadden's wandering eyes.  
  
"And, he would have to realize that public groping is a definite no. Look," Mulder said pointing to her left.  
  
Scully turned and looked to where Mulder was pointing. McGadden was in the corner, obviously enjoying his female companion. Disgusted, she quickly turned away.  
  
"Strike three," said Mulder.  
  
"OK, so you've convinced me that McGadden isn't the one for me, not that I needed convincing. So tell me more about my dream man."  
  
"Well, he would have to respect your independence and feel comfortable with the fact that you do autopsies on an unusual variety of corpses. So I suppose it wouldn't hurt if he understood the X-Files Division or maybe even knew a little something about the unusual himself."  
  
"Why Mulder, if I didn't know any better, I would believe that you're telling me that my Prince Charming is you."  
  
"You said it, not me. Besides, I was thinking more on the lines of Skinner," Mulder said with a grin.  
  
"That's not even funny," Scully said but found herself grinning anyway. "OK, my turn."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"To find that perfect Mulder companion. Let's see, she has to be a tall buxom blonde with long legs and breasts out to the Great Wall of China. Is that about right?"  
  
"That's only true when there are no beautiful, petite but fiery willed redheads around. And I don't think I'll ever be without one of them," Mulder said quite seriously.  
  
Oh, God. Was he serious? Those expressive hazel eyes were looking straight into her blue ones, straight to her soul. This was crazy. He sometimes flirted with her, but always with a grin. There was nothing funny about what he said or how he said it. She should say something to break his intense stare. Maybe make her own little joke about his comment. Anything to get out of this situation. But her mind was a complete blank. The only thing that she could concentrate on was his eyes and the frantic beating of her heart. Then she felt someone tap her on the shoulder, and the spell was broken. She let out the breath that she didn't know she was holding and turned around.  
  
It was Agent Justin Harris. "Dana, I was wondering if you would like to dance?"  
  
Scully looked back at Mulder, saw that he was back in his little world and said, "Sure, I'd love to."  
  
  
  
  
  
Juliet: Beginnings are never my strong point so I'm very happy that you liked it. As far as the timeline goes, there has been a lot of discussion over whether the end scene of PMP actually occurred in "real" life. If you are a believer, this story occurs before. If you are a skeptic, then any time during season 5.  
  
NeverAgainSmallPotatoes: Thank you for your feedback. Hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the first. 


	3. Chapter 3

*Chapter 3*  
  
Mulder watched Scully and Harris walk out onto the dance floor. What had he done? What had he said? Why hadn't he just smiled and made a joke out of it? Because the comment wasn't meant to be a joke. It was true. Damn, he thought he had filed away all of those thoughts. Apparently he upset his file system and let something slip. Well, this slip just scared her away and into another man's arms. Not exactly what he wanted to have happen. Then again, in his life, things rarely went according to plan. Now all he had to do was come up with a different plan. One that had her running into his arms instead.  
  
Mulder's train of thought was interrupted with a tap on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Agent Cassandra Lewis, a tall buxom blonde with long legs and breasts out to the Great Wall of China. If this had been a different situation, he probably would have laughed out loud. Instead, he just sat there and stared at her, wondering if this was some sort of a sign, an omen.  
  
"Mulder, did you hear me?" Lewis purred and whined, all in the same breath.  
  
"Hmmm, what? Oh, no."  
  
"Well, I asked if you would like to dance."  
  
"Yeah, sure. Let's go," Mulder said, all the while formulating a new plan. He figured while he was on the dance floor, he could keep an eye on Scully. You know, in case Harris tried to pull some fresh moves on her. Who was he kidding? She could take care of herself. He wanted to make sure she didn't pull any moves of her own.  
  
He led Lewis onto the dance floor as near to Scully as he could get without being completely obvious. He assumed the proper dance position with Lewis and gracefully guided her around the floor. It was purely coincidental that the pattern just happened to be a complete circle around Scully and Harris.  
  
While dancing, he wondered why he was planning to break up Scully's good time in the first place. Why shouldn't his friend have a good time? Just because it wasn't with him, doesn't mean he should look down upon the whole experience. Friends let friends be happy. Was that all she was to him, though? Maybe he wanted her to be more. Where were these thoughts coming from? Geez, now he needed a secretary for his mind, too.  
  
Scully saw Mulder step onto the dance floor with that blonde bimbo. OK. That was a little harsh. She could be a perfectly nice human being. Just because she was a tall blonde with a great body didn't make her a bimbo. It's just that he had just finished telling her that she was his ideal woman and not the blondes. Well, now she realized that was another one of his jokes. He had sounded so serious, so genuine though. Why had she fallen for it? She felt like such a chump.  
  
Mulder was still trying to organize his thoughts when he heard a screech.  
  
"Ouch!" yelled Lewis. "Mulder, that is the second time you have stepped on my toes. I get the feeling that your feet may be on this dance floor with me, but your mind is somewhere else. And I think that somewhere else might be with a certain red-head who happens to be dancing with Harris. Am I right?"  
  
Rather than foolishly denying, he relented. "Am I that easy to read or is it plastered on my body somewhere?" asked Mulder.  
  
"Yeah, right here," said Lewis pointing to his heart. "Tell you what I'm going to do. I'm going to steal Harris away from Dana. That way you and Dana can dance the next song out and talk things through. You two obviously have a lot to discuss so don't chicken out, OK? We all know what you two feel for each other. All you have to do is stop hiding from it and come to the same conclusion that we all did a long time go."  
  
My God. The whole building knew more about him and Scully than even they knew. So what did they know about each other? Mulder wasn't sure, but he figured he wasn't going to find out by just standing there like an idiot. He was going to get some answers. Finally discover the truth.  
  
"Alright, Lewis. Let's go for it."  
  
While Lewis was going after Harris, Mulder was quickly trying to think of what he was going to say to Scully. "Hi. Um, it seems that the whole building has us hooked up already so why don't we just go for it," hardly seemed appropriate. Was this really what he wanted? Did he want this friendship to go to the next level? Oh, he knew that they loved each other as friends, but was it more? Was he IN love with her? Did he love her like that? Did she? Oh, what did Scully think? He could be contemplating something that she might not want. What would he say then? "Sorry I just poured out my whole heart to you. Just forget I even said it. See you Monday." Their friendship would never be the same. It would be uncomfortable even to be in the same room with each other. He would lose her forever. Did he really want to sacrifice that for his own selfish reasons? What was he going to say to her? Luckily, he didn't have to come up with the first line because Scully came up to him and said:  
  
"I can't help but feel that it was a conspiracy that resulted in the both of us being without partners. What do you think?"  
  
Mulder smiled. Five years with him in the FBI and Scully could smell a conspiracy a mile away.  
  
"Don't look at me. It was all Lewis. She said she wanted Harris all to herself. It doesn't really matter, though. She wasn't my type." He saw the apparent skepticism on her face. "No, really. She was wearing four inch heals, I could see her brunette roots, and her breasts only went out to the pyramids."  
  
"Uh-huh. Well, I suppose the only thing that we can do is to go along with it. Until we find the truth, of course. So what do you say? Do you want to dance?"  
  
"It would be an honor and a privilege, m'lady," Mulder said to her, bowing slightly.  
  
  
  
  
  
RitzBitz: Dialogue is always a challenge so I'm glad that you can realistically hear these conversations in your head. Hope you continue to enjoy this story.  
  
IrishRavenX: Well, I figure that if you take our dynamic duo away from work, good things are sure to occur. We'll find out soon enough. 


	4. Chapter 4

*Chapter 4*  
  
Mulder guided Scully back to the middle of the dance floor.  
  
"Listen, about what I said back at the table. I-" Mulder was silenced by a soft finger on his lips.  
  
"Let's not talk about that right now, OK. Let's just enjoy the music," Scully said softly, taking away her finger.  
  
Mulder had no problem with that request. He had no idea what he was going to say to her anyway.  
  
He put her right hand in his left and his right arm around her waist. Her left hand went to his shoulder tentatively, almost as if she was unsure what she wanted to do. Which, in reality, was true. Once the union of the dance couple was complete, they started dancing slowly to the rhythm of the music.  
  
This is perfect, he thought. Now why didn't he go last year? Well, he would not make that mistake again. If her could persuade Scully to be his dance partner, he'd make it his mission to attend every single function for the rest of his life. Hell, he'd even sponsor the damn things if he could spend one night every year with her in his arms. He gently rested his cheek on her forehead. Jasmine. Her hair smelled like jasmine. It must have been a new shampoo. He'd have to remember to comment about it to her later. Right now he was in heaven with Scully in his arms in an embrace that was perfectly innocent but oh so intimate. He wished the dance could go on forever.  
  
There was nothing innocent about the thoughts that were going through Scully's mind. What was she doing? This was neither the time nor the place to be thinking those things. Home, alone, where nothing or no one could jumble her emotions into an incomprehensible mess was the only place to safely think dangerous thoughts. What she had to do now was figure out exactly what was happening between the two of them. On the outside, it was just two friends sharing an innocent dance. But on the inside, it was an emotional roller coaster. Maybe she should stop this right now and say that she was involved with someone. And when would she have met this mystery man? She was only with Mulder twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Well, she could always say that she was involved with Frohike. She shuddered at the thought. Besides, Mulder would probably know about that little tidbit even before she did.  
  
Mulder felt Scully shudder. He wondered if she was cold. He should have warned her not to wear that thin blue spaghetti-strapped dress to this function. It was freezing outside, and the bureau was sometimes too cheap to spring for heat. Not that he was complaining, mind you. She looked absolutely breathtaking. There was a lot of Scully skin to take in all at once. He brought her closer to him to try and warm her up a little bit. To accomplish this, he had to shift his hips slightly against hers.  
  
Scully felt this shift and her legs turned to butter. What was he doing with his hips? Was he trying to drive her completely insane with desire? Because if he was, he was doing a pretty damn good job of it. Now how was she going to get out of this position? No way could she be this close and still have focus and control. She had to somehow move her hips away from his. But the only way she could do this was to press her chest against his and subtly push away. Maybe she could do this in one fluid motion so that he wouldn't even notice that her chest had made contact with his. Sounded logical. Well, here goes nothing, she thought. She took a deep breath and ever so slightly leaned into his embrace so that her chest touched his. She was just about to push her upper and lower body away from him when she felt Mulder's arm lock into place. Damn. She was caught with no way out. She was intimately pushed against his body and there was no way to explain herself.  
  
  
  
"What are you doing, Scully?" asked Mulder hoarsely.  
  
"I was just, um...I was trying to...well, you see..."  
  
"I think we should sit this next song out." He needed to sit down. The dance had gotten entirely out of hand. He had to reorganize his thoughts and hormones and he couldn't very well do it while Scully was intimately pressed against him. She was the reason he had to reorganize.  
  
"I think that's a good idea." It was a great idea. Anything to get her out of that position, no matter how much she liked it. Which, of course, she didn't. Not Scully. Not with Mulder.  
  
He followed her back to their seats with his hand pressed lightly against her back. At that moment, it was the only thing keeping her standing upright.  
  
Once both of them were seated, he clasped his hands together on the table and said, "We have to talk."  
  
"No, we don't," Scully said, a little too quickly.  
  
"Yes, we do."  
  
She sighed. She knew he was right. Something had happened on that dance floor, and neither of them knew exactly what it was, nor were they ready to admit it. Or, at least, she wasn't. She knew something like this was going to happen to them some day. Two people who experienced so much together and who deeply cared for each other like they did could not easily keep a strictly platonic relationship. She never knew the importance of the quote from When Harry Met Sally until now. "Men and women can't be friends because the sex part always gets in the way." How true that really was. She had acknowledged the intellectual attraction in the beginning. She had simply made note of the physical attraction but could not afford to dwell too much on it. Despite this lack of thorough exploration, Scully thought that she was prepared to handle this situation when it finally did surface. Unfortunately, "finally" had come up way too soon and she had no idea what to do.  
  
"Why? What do we have to talk about?" Scully asked.  
  
"Scully," Mulder said reaching across the table to claim her right hand in his, "something happened out there. Something neither of us can explain. Something that was years in the making and only clearly coming out now. That is what we have to talk about."  
  
"Mulder, you are blowing this thing entirely out of proportion. You are making the situation out to be more than what it was. It was a simple dance where a few moves were misread by both of us. It was absolutely nothing so could you just forget about it?" Scully looked down at their hands clasped together.  
  
"Can you?"  
  
She blushed furiously and looked away, hoping he hadn't just seen her reaction. Once she had composed herself again, she looked back and said:  
  
"Mulder, it's not like we kissed so I really don't see the importance in all of this nonsensical talk."  
  
"Would your opinion of this talk change if I did kiss you right here, right now?"  
  
"Mulder, no..."  
  
"Scully, I don't know why we haven't before. Was it because we were afraid that once we started, our raging hormones would kick in, and we would never stop? Maybe go a little too far?"  
  
"The reason that we have never kissed is because it is not part of our relationship. We are just friends who care dearly for each other. If we did kiss, it would ruin our remarkable friendship."  
  
"Or make it better." Scully shot him a look. "OK, OK. What would happen if I kissed you...platonically."  
  
"I think that when it comes to us, there would be no such thing as a platonic kiss."  
  
"So, what you are saying is that there is something between us that is more than platonic."  
  
"No, that's not what I meant. I meant that, at this point in our relationship, a kiss on the lips would probably be, like the dance, misinterpreted."  
  
"Who said anything about the lips? I meant a platonic kiss on the hand. Well, now I know where your mind has been all this time."  
  
Ignoring the last comment, Scully calmly said, "Normally, when one asks for a kiss, they usually mean a kiss on the lips."  
  
"Well, this is not a normal time nor am I a normal guy. So, what do you say? Do I get to try this platonic kissing thing?"  
  
"Mulder, what you have just proposed is the most outrageous thing that I have ever heard. So, what I'm saying, is no. Can we drop this topic now?"  
  
"That's an intelligent answer, Scully, but I'm afraid that it is the wrong one," Mulder said as he brought her hand up closer to his face. "Let's find out what the right answer is."  
  
  
  
  
  
Juliet: Well, as we are all very aware of, during this time of the show, they sure weren't moving closer on their own. Someone has to kick them in the butt. I hope that you continue to read and enjoy.  
  
NeverAgainSmallPotatoes: I'm trying to bust out a chapter a night, but I make no promises. But your feedback definitely encourages me to try harder. 


	5. Chapter 5

*Chapter 5*  
  
There could have been numerous scientific reasons why Scully did not pull her hand back from his. Temporary paralysis of the right side. Lost circulation in the arm. But the only truthful explanation out there was that she wanted this to occur, if only to prove to him that they were only friends. All thoughts of friendship vanished the moment his lips touched her hand.  
  
Mulder had been dreaming about doing this with his best friend for a long time. OK, so maybe not with her hand. Not many people dreamt about making out with someone else's hand. But hey, it was a start.  
  
He began this exploration of her hand with her delicate but strong fingers. He applied a small amount of pressure to her tips with his lips. Each pad of each finger was given equal treatment from his mouth. When her eyes slid shut, his almost closed in response to the sheer intimacy of that gesture. But they remained open. He wanted to gauge every minute reaction that her exquisite face expressed. With his eyes never leaving her, he worked down her fingers making sure he didn't miss a single inch of them with his lips. He watched her eyes twitch slightly behind her lids. He turned her hand over so that it cupped his face and he kissed the soft palm of her hand. His mouth opened so that his tongue could taste her. Mulder heard Scully moan softly, and he knew that he had found the correct answer. He returned to her fingers, opened his mouth once again, and allowed one finger to enter his mouth. His tongue circled her finger in an erotic matter.  
  
"I don't..." Scully swallowed hard and started again. "I don't think sucking was part of the proposal."  
  
Taking her finger out of his mouth, Mulder said, "I suppose you're right." He kissed her hand again and placed it back on the table.  
  
Scully had a thousand muddled emotions running through her. Most of those emotions were ones that she didn't want to face. Not here. Not now. Maybe not ever. Perhaps, if she was lucky enough, the whole event had meant nothing to him. Perhaps it was just a harmless experiment to test...to test God knows what. She didn't feel like analyzing what that "what" was. She didn't care. She just wanted to be assured that it was nothing. If that were true, she wouldn't have to worry about what she was feeling. She would just tuck her tangle of newly exposed emotions in the back of her mind where all the rest layed; the ones that had been accumulating for the last five years. All she had to do was ask.  
  
She looked up at Mulder and her question was silently answered. It was written in his eyes. Damn. It had meant something. An important something. A something neither of them could ignore. Whatever that something was, she didn't need it. She was doing fine without it. Sure, she didn't have much of a social life, but she had a job she loved (so few people could say that nowadays), and she worked with a partner that she lo...cared about immensely. She felt very lucky indeed and didn't need this new development to upset her balanced existence. Scully felt Mulder was about to say something so she paused her train of thoughts.  
  
He never got the chance to speak his mind because the lights suddenly went out.  
  
Mulder stiffened in his chair. In his line of work, an agent in a dangerous situation in the dark is most likely a dead agent. He then remembered where he was and relaxed. A room filled with federal agents may be frightening at times, but it was far from lethally dangerous.  
  
Then he saw the light.  
  
No, this could not be happening. They could not be coming back. This light, whatever it may actually be, had already stolen so many things from him. It had taken his sister, broken up his family, killed his father, and practically destroyed his mother along with any semblance of normality in his life. And Scully. He would never forget her abduction and the months that he was completely alone in the world. This light would not want him. He would not be that fortunate. It wanted Scully. Mulder was not about to let it happen again, though. Especially not in front of him. Not like his sister.  
  
He was relieved when he found that he could sill move. He wasn't paralyzed like the last time. He didn't stop to ponder why that was, though. He had no time. He literally leapt over the table, grabbed a startled Scully, carried her to the near wall, and engulfed her in his embrace. She moved slightly, and he hugged her even closer to himself.  
  
Scully wondered what had exactly happened. She knew the obvious facts. The lights had gone off, and Mulder had grabbed her. But why? What had possessed him to do something like that? She would have to think about that later, though. At the moment, she had to concentrate on something more important: breathing, a difficult task while tightly enclosed in Mulder's arms.  
  
"Mulder, I can't breathe."  
  
Instead of loosening his grip, he tightened it.  
  
"Let go." Scully ordered with the strength that she had left. She was starting to feel dizzy from the lack of oxygen to the brain.  
  
Mulder's response did not make sense to her. "No. The light. Not you. Not again."  
  
He heard the footsteps as they moved toward him and Scully. He shook his head adamantly. Not this time he thought.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jamie Sculder: As a reader, I also hate the cliffhanger. As a writer, I have to appreciate and respect the power that it can provide you. What a great way to draw a reader back in for more. Hopefully it is as successful for me as it is for others out there.  
  
Juliet: What a fabulous toast. You may want to keep a little more life in you for the following chapters. My "cliffhangers" aren't over yet. 


	6. Chapter 6

*Chapter 6*  
  
If he had been thinking rationally, he would have realized that the light was not just one light but multiple lights; all of them completely harmless and none of them wanted Scully. This particular light shining in their vicinity had a voice.  
  
"Don't worry folks. Just a blown fuse. You guys must have been partying too hard. Never knew you federal types had it in you. Power should be restored soon."  
  
Scully heard what must have been the voice of a man from the building's maintenance department and breathed a sigh of relief. Well, it would have been a sigh if she was breathing properly. She had hoped that the voice would have broken Mulder's strange "trance," but he just seemed to ignore the voice. This was getting ridiculous. She had to untangle herself from his grasp. She tried to move again, but he kept his arms and body firmly locked in place.  
  
The maintenance man's beam of light caught the struggle between the man and woman who were curled up against the wall. Their reaction seemed a little extreme for just a loss of lights. He walked over to the man and tapped him on the shoulder to make sure that they were OK. The man jerked in response, cutting off almost all of the woman's oxygen. He thought that he heard the man whimper, "No." The maintenance man was afraid the woman was going to pass out. This was a very strange situation indeed.  
  
He was about to push him off of the woman when the lights came back on. All conversation that had ceased while the lights were off, were resumed; almost as if nothing had happened. That was hardly the case between the two in front of him.  
  
Scully felt Mulder's arms loosen up when the lights returned. At last, he responded positively to stimuli. She pulled herself out of his embrace and slowly took in a few breaths of air. The man that she recognized as the voice asked her if she was OK. She confirmed that she was, and he walked away.  
  
When her breathing had returned to normal and she had made sure that she was physically okay, she turned around on the floor to interrogate her partner.  
  
Mulder was still curled up against the wall. His head was tucked in his arms, but Scully could still see enough of his face to see that it was tear stained. He had been crying. The sight of him looking so fragile and child-like nearly broke her heart. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms protectively around him and tell him that everything was going to be OK. Unfortunately, she couldn't make that promise because she had no idea what was wrong.  
  
First things first. She had to get them out of the room. Scully could practically feel the eyes of all the agents on her and Mulder, and she couldn't very well inquire about his condition while the whole room was seemingly staring at them. She spotted a nearby door about thirty feet from where they were that would get them of here. They could make it. They had to. There were no other options.  
  
Scully knelt beside Mulder and told him that he had to get up so that they could leave the room. He either didn't hear her or chose to ignore her because he didn't move. Stubborn man. She was going to have to do this the hard way.  
  
"Fine," she said. "Then I will just drag you out of here."  
  
Yes, this five foot three inch woman was going to drag this six-foot man out of the room. Oh, but never underestimate the power of a determined woman. This petite person packed a lot of power.  
  
She sat down in a chair and took off her shoes and panty hose (discreetly, of course). She was going to need all the leverage she could get, and she wasn't going to find it slip sliding around the floor. She then squatted behind Mulder, hooked her arms under his armpits, stood up as erect as she could, and started dragging.  
  
Scully got about fifteen feet when she stopped. It wasn't her decision to stop but Mulder's. He had finally decided to put a halt to this ridiculous mode of transportation. He looked up at her and said:  
  
"I didn't think that you'd actually drag me."  
  
Ah, so he was listening. "How did you think I was going to get you out of this room? You obviously weren't cooperating by moving on your own, and I couldn't exactly pick you up and carry you across the room," Scully said, trying not to get angry.  
  
"I don't know about that, Scully. There have been times when I've felt that you could THROW me across the room."  
  
"The night is still young. Now would you please get up. I would like to get out of this room as discretely as possible."  
  
Of course, by now, that was virtually impossible. Already, people were whispering about the floorshow that they had just been given. Another log added to the fire.  
  
Mulder slowly and steadily got to his feet. He was still physically and emotionally drained and any quick actions may send him back to the floor. Scully gathered up her panty hose and shoes, directed him to the door from which they were to exit, and they walked out of the room together.  
  
  
  
  
  
Cerasi J: I am so glad that you are enjoying my story. I hope that you can make it to the end. I still have a few more chapters to go.  
  
Jamie Sculder: Haha. Well, as long as the plan is working, it can't be too terribly evil. I find that people don't respond very well to evil. I just hope that you survived this hiatus.  
  
X-Nina: I'm sorry that you didn't like my alternative kiss, but when the muse has a point to make, you cannot ignore her. 


	7. Chapter 7

*Chapter 7*  
  
With a little help from a busboy, they found a room that was occupied by neither agents nor hired help.  
  
"Why Scully, if I had known that you wanted to find a private room to 'make- out', I would have suggested my place," Mulder said, to trying to alleviate the tension that he felt in the air.  
  
"I'm afraid that your humor will not get you out of this situation." Scully squared her shoulders and looked him in the eyes, an act not easily achieved, especially without shoes. She was prepared for a fight. She wanted answers and knew that getting them from Mulder could sometimes be like pulling teeth. "What the hell happened out there! You scared me half to death leaping over the table like that, and I nearly passed out because of that bear hug you had me in."  
  
He turned away from his partner's angry blue eyes. It physically hurt to see her so angry with him. He found a chair, flopped down onto it, and cradled his head in his hands. He sat like that for a few moments, then he swallowed and lifted his head. He allowed what she had said to sink in, and his eyes widened in shock and horror.  
  
"Oh, God, did I hurt you?!? Are you OK? If someone had done that to you, I probably would have shot him on the spot. But I did it. I hurt you." At this point, he was feeling very disgusted with himself.  
  
If there was one thing that she hated to witness, it was Mulder guilt. Trying to ease his self-hatred, she said, "Mulder, I'm fine. You didn't hurt me. I was just a little afraid. Right now, I am more concerned about you. I want to know what caused you to do that seemingly heroic action."  
  
How was he supposed to explain what happened? With the truth, definitely, but how would she respond? Would she think that he had finally gone off the deep end? Aw, hell. If she didn't believe that already, what he was about to confess wasn't going to become "the straw that broke the camel's back."  
  
Well, here it goes. He took a deep breath and started.  
  
"It was the lights. First they went out and then I saw what I now know were numerous flashlights. I panicked. I thought that it was them, Scully. I thought they had found another reason to take you away from me again. I wasn't going to allow that to happen, especially not right in front of my eyes. Not like Samantha." By now he was up out of his seat, pacing frantically around the room and making wild gestures with his hands. He was trying desperately to make her understand. "When I found that I wasn't paralyzed like before, I grabbed you up in my arms and tried to protect you. They weren't taking you, dammit! Not this time." Mulder was getting angry. He paused a moment to collect himself and continued. "So much had happened tonight, and I just wasn't thinking clearly," he said calmly. "I'm sorry," he whispered.  
  
"For what?" Scully asked seriously.  
  
"For what?! For hurting you. For laying out this completely paranoid story onto you. For dancing with you. For kissing you. For the whole damn night!" He said throwing up his hands. He stalked back to his chair, sat down, and focused his eyes on some point on the wall to the left of Scully.  
  
"There is no reason for you to be sorry. Nothing you did is worth an apology. OK, there is one thing. I could have definitely lived without that McGadden misunderstanding."  
  
Mulder finally looked at her and wondered how she could be joking with him at a time like this.  
  
"No, Scully. What I did is unforgivable."  
  
"Now I wouldn't go that far. In fact, after this, I'd have to say that we are pretty even. You have to remember, I did shoot you once."  
  
"But you did that for my own protection," Mulder protested.  
  
"And so did you. You thought that I was in danger. You did it to protect me," Scully retaliated.  
  
"No. I did it because I jumped to conclusions. I didn't think it through. I didn't gather enough information. I acted on an impulse. God, it's exactly like our cases. Directly or indirectly, I'm the reason that you get hurt like that. Me."  
  
"Will you stop that, Mulder! Just stop it. You are not the reason why bad things happen to me, yourself, or anybody else. I know that's how you think, and I wish that you didn't. I know that you blame yourself for everyone's lot in life, but by doing this, you are also torturing yourself. Mulder, you are the reason why innocent people are free and guilty people are locked away. You are the reason that I'm still alive. Stop twisting those achievements around. There is nothing but good in you. You have to believe that."  
  
"I want to believe," he said distantly. He really wanted to believe, for her. He would do anything for the woman that was standing in front of him. And he had fulfilled that promise numerous times over the years. He wanted to wipe away the demons of his past and the darkness of his soul so that he could reach the goodness that Scully so adamantly proclaimed was inside him.  
  
"I really want to believe," he said, this time directly to Scully.  
  
  
  
  
  
Jamie Sculder: Thank you. Who knew that cliffhangers could be so fun. And I figure if you guys can take the time to give me feedback, I can take the time to respond and give thanks.  
  
Juliet: Oh, I have some interesting things in store for these two, believe me. Trust me, there is no way I am abandoning them now.  
  
NeverAgainSmallPotatoes: What can I say? They work with a bunch of egotistical people who are only interested in themselves. No one was watching so they decided to be bold. Who knows. I am so glad that you are not only interested in my story, but also my thoughts and responses at the end. 


	8. Chapter 8

*Chapter 8*  
  
"What, do you need proof?" Scully asked. "Does the skeptic need cold, hard facts? Well, allow me to present evidence A: one Dana Katherine Scully. This woman has been rescued from various dangerous situations by one Fox William Mulder. Not only has this man saved her life, but he has also saved her soul from loneliness and despair.  
  
"You think that you are the only one who suffers from bouts of depression, but I, too, have experienced a lot, sometimes, I think, too much. And in those times of darkness, I turned to you. For comfort. For support. Even just for a smile.  
  
"Mulder, do you know how many times I have thanked God for being assigned as your partner and for giving me the opportunity to discover a new friend, a best friend. I never knew how lost I was until I met you"  
  
She took a few seconds rest and continued.  
  
"Would you like me to continue because I will. I have countless instances that I can use to convince you to admit to yourself what a wonderful person you are."  
  
Scully had Mulder's complete attention throughout her argument. She would have made a great lawyer. He felt so incredibly lucky to have this woman by his side. Was she even aware of his adoration?  
  
"You are absolutely incredible, Scully. I mean it. I may have never told you before, but I am forever thinking it. I have wanted to tell you on numerous occasions, but no time has ever felt more appropriate than right now. No one has ever said that or anything like that to me before. Thank you."  
  
Scully was truly touched. She was also beaming with pride after his heart- felt compliment. She never knew positive feedback like that could completely lift your spirits. She had experienced the occasional "good job" and pat on the back during her career, but nothing compared to this. Nothing ever compared to Mulder. She felt six feet tall (considering her current height, that was tall). Mulder's compliments were scattered at best so she was going to have to savor the one she just received.  
  
She also felt that their conversation was about to delve into uncharted territory. Hell, this entire night was one large uncharted territory for them. Dances, kisses, feelings. An X-File perhaps? Perhaps not, but still a very unstable night. She was starting to feel extremely uncomfortable because Mulder was staring at her so intently, almost willing her to come out and speak her mind. Scully decided to change the subject.  
  
"You never did tell me what was wrong back at the table. The truth, I mean." There, she was positive that this topic was relatively safe.  
  
Mulder smiled. She sure did change subjects quickly, he thought. Well, he knew she wasn't going to approve of his response because it brought them right back to the "forbidden topic."  
  
"Are you sure you want the truth?" he asked. He was giving her one last chance to save herself by letting it go.  
  
"Always."  
  
Here it goes. "Well, ever since I saw you tonight in that gorgeous dress looking so beautiful," he saw her blushing, "I have been asking myself, 'When did she change?'."  
  
"How do you mean?" she asked, quite baffled, first by the uncharacteristic but flattering compliment and then by the question posed.  
  
"I mean, when did you change from the skeptical person that I work with to the woman who keeps me up at night."  
  
"Mulder, for as long as I have known you, you have been a chronic insomniac," Scully said, trying to rationally explain his situation.  
  
"That's not what I mean."  
  
He got up from the chair and started pacing back and forth, trying to decide the best way to approach this. He stopped pacing suddenly and stood in front of Scully to prevent her from turning away from what he had to say. Mulder was going to, in essence, "pour his heart out." He hoped that he wouldn't hate himself in the morning.  
  
"Dana..." he started.  
  
"Dana?" Scully was genuinely surprised when he used her first name. Wherever this was going, it couldn't be good.  
  
"Yes, Dana." Of course he would use her first name. It was much more intimate.  
  
"Does this mean that I get to call you Fox?"  
  
"No." He was in no mood to joke around and didn't even laugh at the use of his first name.  
  
Scully was going to open her mouth to continue on with the safe subject but felt Mulder would get angry with her for trying to lead him off of his original topic again. She was in no position to argue with him when he was looming over top of her with that determined look in his eyes.  
  
"Now what I have to say is important," he continued, "so I would appreciate it if you would listen with an open mind and an open heart."  
  
Uh-oh. Trouble, Scully thought.  
  
"In the beginning, you were just the woman they sent to spy on me. Then I began to respect you as a doctor and an FBI agent, and you became my partner. Trust came with this partnership, which, in turn, developed into friendship. This friendship is the best thing that has ever happened to me. No one has ever been able to dive into my mind; understand and accept me the way that you do. I am so grateful for what you have brought into my life; peace of mind. If you think I'm a wreck now, you should have seen my before you first walked into my office." He chuckled slightly. "Scully," he returned to using her last name because it was more comfortable, "I wouldn't trade what we have for anything."  
  
"So what's the problem?" she asked softly.  
  
"The problem is that I think I found something that I would risk our friendship for."  
  
  
  
  
  
Faithful readers: I do apologize for this lapse in posting. The real world annoyingly got in the way this week. Weekend in Maryland. Loss of cable (ie no internet). And, SHOCK! work. Hopefully, you guys won't have to wait this long for another chapter. I do appreciate those who have stuck it out Hope this was worth the wait.  
  
crazytook: To answer your question, Scully shot Mulder in the episode Anasazi. Mulder finds out that Krycek killed his father and is about to shoot him with the gun that was used to murder his father (therefore, incriminating Mulder in the act of patricide) when Scully shows up and prevents this by shooting him. Very tense, very cool. I'm glad you liked the beginning and the chapters following it. There have been definite issues with the kissing, all that I can say is to suspend reality for awhile. This show, after all, does contain aliens, monsters, and a gorgeous FBI agent who hadn't gotten some in how many years!?! And as long as you keep reading, I'll keep writing.  
  
Kiki Cabou: "Yay" What a fabulous review. So glad that you are enjoying the ride. I hope that I haven't lost you with this extended hiatus. I know the wait has been long, but it shouldn't be too much longer till the end.  
  
Jamie Sculder: Haha, if you liked the last cliffhanger, well you have got to hate this one. I won't make you wait too long for the next chapter. I wouldn't be that cruel. Thanks so much for your continuing reviews. 


	9. Chapter 9

*Chapter 9*  
  
Scully let out a deep breath. She tried to look away but knew Mulder wouldn't allow her to hide so she did her best to fight off the tears that she knew were coming. She knew that she had failed when she felt one fall down her cheek.  
  
"Oh, Scully. What have I done to you? Please don't cry," Mulder said. He brought his hands up, gently cupped her face, and brushed away the lone tear with his thumb.  
  
He had no idea why she was crying. He hadn't even told her what he really had to say. When he was finished his declaration, then he would expect a reaction from her, although he hoped it would be a more positive response than tears.  
  
"What do you expect me to do? You just said that you are giving up on our five-year friendship. I'm sorry. I can't sit idly by and allow you to destroy our relationship. I want answers so that I know what I'm fighting against. We've survived so many things together, what could possibly cause you to want to terminate our friendship?" Hiccup. She was so upset that she was hiccuping. "Who is she, Mulder? And why didn't you tell me? And why would she be the one thing that our friendship can't survive?" Hiccup. Must breathe.  
  
"Whoa, Scully. Calm down. Listen to yourself. It sounds like you already have me married. I'm supposed to be the paranoid one, remember." This was getting entirely out of control. He had to elaborate upon his earlier statement in a way that would sway even the most die hard of skeptics.  
  
Scully tried to calm herself down but it was difficult because she was still hiccupping. It's hard to look controlled when your shoulders are shaking.  
  
"So what is it?" she said in the steadiest voice she could muster, which wasn't very steady at all.  
  
"Well, it's something that hasn't happened, or more accurately, something that I haven't done."  
  
"Well, what is it?"  
  
"I'm not sure that I can tell you. I don't think that I'm ready because I'm afraid that once I tell you, our friendship will be ruined."  
  
"Well, according to you, our friendship is doomed no matter what, so just tell me what it is. I'm a big girl. I'm pretty sure that I can handle it," Scully said slightly smiling.  
  
Mulder was going to go for it. He was just going to do it. No hesitations. No time to back down. No warnings. Just pure spontaneity.  
  
"This is the 'something'."  
  
Mulder didn't have to move his hands because they were still tenderly cradling her face from when he was wiping away her tear. He just had to move his head. He never had to move such a far distance in his life. Time seemed to go in slow motion. As his head advanced towards hers, he saw Scully's eyes close. That simple action told him that she wasn't going to resist. He would have stopped if she had wanted him to, but he knew that wasn't going to happen now. Just before his lips touched hers, he thought about the fact that his life would never be the same. Good.  
  
Scully saw him moving towards her, and she knew exactly what was going to happen. Though it didn't look like it from the outside, she knew that she was in total control of the situation. Mulder would never continue unless she conceded. He would never pressure her or take advantage of her. She had to make a decision. Was she going to resist or just let it happen? Before she even asked herself that question, she had already given her answer to Mulder. She closed her eyes and waited - for what seemed like an eternity - for his lips to descend upon hers.  
  
  
  
  
  
To all: What is it that we used to write on notes when we were younger? SSS. Sorry so sloppy. Sorry so sappy. Well, mine is sorry so short. On the upside, I should have the 10th and final part up by Sunday.  
  
Em: Hope you kept your eyes open long enough to catch this update. I just hope that you were able to at least blink during the wait. What can I say? That line made me smile when I though of you guys and all your wonderful feedback. Spoken straight from the heart. Hope this little chapter holds you over till Sunday.  
  
ToasterWithWings: Gotta say this right away. Love the name. Nothing makes me happier than flying appliances. Fluff is good, but fluff must be made realistically. So glad that my fluff isn't too far fetched. Keep on flying, we are almost to the end.  
  
NeverAgainSmallPotatoes: I seriously hope that this wait didn't send you over the edge. You'll have to give me the address of the asylum so that I can send you the last chapter. Thanks for the feedback, and stop yelling at the hairbrush. People will start to get suspicious.  
  
Jamie Sculder: Wow, what a fabulous compliment for me and my story. Feedback is making this endeavor into the fiction world completely worth it. Well, if you actually liked that cliffhanger, I can't wait for you to read my final chapter maniacal laughter.  
  
Kiki Cabou: I saw some other authors responding to their feedback, and I thought that was a great way to bring the readers in closer to the author. Of course, I had to try it for myself, and I found it to be greatly appreciated and great fun. And what is this "L" word you speak of? I personally never found lizards to be that great of importance.  
  
Juliet: So far, suspense has yet to kill anyone, so I hope that has held up for this chapter as well. I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed my latest gift to you (that sounds so pretentious). So, Merry Christmas. Happy Birthday. And we'll celebrate Arbor Day when my last chapter comes out. What, you never exchanged gifts on Arbor Day? Let me tell you, oak trees are hard to wrap. Oh geez, I need sleep.  
  
RitzBitz: It makes me happy to see you so into my little story. Who knew I could invoke so much good response. Must beware of large chip on shoulder. As far as your update demand, I'm sorry that I could not meet with this deadline. I hope that the shorter wait for the finale makes up for this. 


	10. Chapter 10

*Chapter 10*  
  
The first touch was electrifying, but they always knew that it would be. It was like a lightning bolt had struck the both of them. Amazing, but not surprising. Too much passion had been instilled into their professional lives for it not to transcend into their personal lives. Mulder stepped forward so that not even an inch separated them. Neither really knew how to proceed from there. Who knew that they would ever make it this far after so many years of platonic friendship? They both wanted more but did not know how to take it, so they just let their animal instincts take control.  
  
Mulder deepened the kiss by running his tongue across Scully's lips until she opened up for him. Perfection. Her hands found their way into his hair and she began running them through it. Such a soft texture. While her hands were exploring his hair, his tongue was exploring her mouth. Every time he found a sensitive part of her mouth, she moaned. Or was it him? Did it matter?  
  
Mulder was becoming very greedy. He wanted more of this intoxicating beauty. His hands moved from her face, through her soft hair, to the back of her head to push her closer to him. If things didn't stop soon, kissing her wasn't going to be enough.  
  
Hiccup.  
  
He smiled against Scully's mouth. That certainly never happened to him before. Never had a kiss ended because of a hiccup. Guess it was a night filled with firsts.  
  
Scully pulled away slightly and looked up at Mulder, clearly embarrassed that she had just interrupted their intimate moment. She saw that he was smiling and knew that she had nothing to be embarrassed about. He was amused but understanding.  
  
"What just happened?" Scully asked in a husky voice.  
  
"I think we just expanded our friendship," Mulder replied in an equally rough voice.  
  
"Oh," she said as she moved back to him so that her body was flush against his again.  
  
This time, Scully initiated the kiss. It was her turn to explore. There was no sign of hesitation with this kiss. Both had a taste of what was to come and both wanted more. Kisses were becoming drugs and both were addicted. Her tongue went right into his eagerly awaiting mouth. She caressed his tongue with hers and was met with delicious moans of his own.  
  
While her hands went back to running through Mulder's hair, he decided to go a little further and started running his hands up and down her back. Scully shivered with pleasure, and he felt each quiver due to their extremely close proximity.  
  
Neither had ever acted this passionately towards anyone before in his/her life. They both knew why that was, though. The person in front of them was special. This was the person that they loved.  
  
They knew they had to stop soon, but neither wanted it to end. Well, something was going to have to stop them.  
  
Thud. Thunk.  
  
Scully woke up with a start when she heard the noise. She sat up in bed and reached for her gun that was on the end table at the side of her bed. Only when she had her gun securely in her hand did she remember that she had company. Mulder. He had needed to stay at her house for the night because his apartment was being sprayed for termites. She looked at the clock and saw that it was 2:15 am. She was wide-awake now. Might as well check out what Mulder was doing.  
  
While Scully was putting on her robe, she was thinking about that dream she was having only moments before. It was still fresh in her memory. It seemed so real to her. The smells, touches, tastes...Stop it! This was no time to be thinking about a dream that probably meant nothing other then the fact that she was getting desperate for male attention, even in her dreams. Except that it brought up some interesting questions, like what she really felt for her partner or that infamous "what if." Oh, this was getting her nowhere. Time to see what Mulder was up to.  
  
She walked into her dark living room to find Mulder fiddling with her stereo.  
  
"Do you have any idea what time it is?" she asked.  
  
Mulder whirled around, obviously surprised to find that he had woken her.  
  
"I guess my night vision isn't as good as I thought it was," he said turning on the nearest lamp. "I kicked your table while trying to get to your stereo. I couldn't sleep and I thought some music could help me seeing that your TV isn't working."  
  
"What, I still get the Spanish channel in pretty well."  
  
"Oh, well then. Let's all sit down and watch El Mundo Grande."  
  
"Can I get you anything?" Scully asked, making her way toward the kitchen.  
  
"Do you have any of that chicken left?"  
  
"Do you know what time it is?" she asked for the second time that night.  
  
"2:23 am. Three and a half minutes since you last asked me."  
  
"Anyway, no. We ate it all for dinner. How about pretzels?"  
  
"Alright." he said while turning on her stereo to try and find some decent music to listen to.  
  
Scully brought back the snack and asked, "So, why couldn't you sleep this time?"  
  
"I had an, um....interesting dream," he said, finally finding the perfect 2:30 am music, soft and light.  
  
"Really? Me too."  
  
I bet it was nothing like mine, they both thought simultaneously.  
  
A new song came on the radio. A song that they both recognized from their dream. They stood motionless, under the spell of the song, until Scully dropped the pretzels that she had in her hands.  
  
"Oops," she said, picking up the bag and putting it on the couch.  
  
"Nice song, isn't it?"  
  
"Hmmm? Oh, yeah."  
  
She had to act normal. If she didn't, Mulder would know something was up and then he would know about her dream. OK, so the latter would probably never happen, but she didn't want to take the chance. All she had to do was get through this song.  
  
Mulder broke the silence between the two of them by asking the life- changing question that told Scully everything, "Do you want to dance?"  
  
  
  
  
  
To all of my faithful readers, and especially to all those wonderful people who gave me such glowing feedback: The end. What, you wanted something more profound? Alright. I hope you all enjoyed this adventure through my imagination. Though the headaches were many, it was all so very worthwhile. Feedback became my motivation and made me work that much harder to complete the next chapter. Thank you all for your support, both spoken and unspoken. Fun for me. Fun for you. Can't go wrong with that combination.  
  
Aztec: The wait wasn't that long, I hope. See, Sunday is already here and you have come to the end. Hope that you enjoyed this and all chapters and I hope that I see you in response area for any future adventures I take in the fanfic world.  
  
RitzBitz: I hope that I took enough time for you. I hate for this not to be the best that it could have been. And let me tell you, you are your own worst critic. I never though that this story was that great, but you guys have turned my opinion around. Thank you again for your continuing support  
  
Jamie Sculder: Well, the ending was a bit of a cliché surprise, but I hope it left you with an optimistic view of their future. At least in this alternate universe. Hope that this final cliffhanger meets your approval. Your feedback was fabulous and I thank you for taking the time to write to me.  
  
ToasterWithWings: :::Blushes::: Wow! Your compliment just about floored me. I can't believe that you hold me in such high esteem, especially when there are so many other wonderfully fabulous authors out there. Wow. Thank you so much.  
  
agentpippen: Haha, I hurried as fast as I could. Life just has a sneaky way of getting in your way. Luckily, I anticipated it and could warn you in advance. Hope you took every precaution to make it this far and to get to the end. Your response was filled with "excellentness" and I thank you.  
  
Em: Are you awake? Good, I'm glad you could make it to the end. Well, think of it as good thing that you came in towards the end. You didn't have to wait for the first few chapters to actually be written and posted. WIPs can be annoying in that respect. Though you jumped on late in the story, I still appreciate your feedback. Every little bit makes my day brighter.  
  
NeverAgainSmallPotatoes: Thanks for the address. I'll write to it as soon as I have this last chapter posted. Do they allow mail on your floor? That high of a floor seems to be reserved for the especially insane (ie. Those that not only talk to but also name their hairbrushes). Well, the story has ended and its time you make a break out of your cell. I'll see you on the "still insane but hiding it very well" side. Before I forget, thank you for your responses. They always put a smile on my face. By the way, my curling iron is named Cordelia.  
  
DragonMouse: Well, I hope the second half was as good for you as the first half. Thanks for your feedback. It is always appreciated. 


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